A Background and a Sketch

Oh my goodness peeps, I've been busy, busy, busy. Part of my busy has been spent thinking of what I want to make at my 4 Day crop the end of  February. I've narrowed down the kinds of cards I want to make. Now I'll be busy making kits. Before I've always planned on the spot and I don't get very much accomplished. This time I'm going to measure, cut, and punch my pieces parts ahead of time. I'll let you know how it goes.

This week Operation Write Home has Sketch Challenge 209, and ScrapZee has a background challenge going on.

The ScrapZee challenge is to use a corner of a 12x12 design paper as the background of your card. I normally buy design paper with an overall design so I don't have to worry about the pretty corners. So I went with 6x6 paper pads where there are corner designs.

I've had this paper pad a long time so I don't remember who made it. All I did to the paper was add some Glossy Accents by Ranger on the word Love. Since there were already hearts along the bottom edge I punched out some hearts with the Heart punch by Martha Stewart. It also punches hole to thread ribbon, so that's exactly what I did to make the banner. A couple of silver Pearl Pen dots to anchor the ends, and I called it done. Clean, simple, and easy. Using a corner design suddenly became a lot easier.

The Operation Write Home weekly sketch goes together very quickly. I also used a 6x6 paper pad by Teresa Collins, and used a corner for the background. Here's the sketch:

Here's my card.

I love the colors and designs of the paper pad! The long strip on the left side, and the two banners are from the pad. I used a button die from Sizzix and some twine. For the rectangle I used design paper and matted it on card stock. The only thing I didn't do is the three dots and the bottom. I got so wrapped up in this card I didn't even give that element a thought. The center of the rectangle is a very soft gray and white. I left it blank so I could add a sentiment as needed.

I'll leave you with a parting thought: I'll be looking at Designer Series Paper [DSP] with brand new eyes!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you  enjoyed your visit!

I read and appreciate your comments.

Monster Love

How are you doin peeps? I’m still a semi shut-in because of this crazy dizziness. On the bright side, it’s too cold out for me so I don’t mind being inside. On the down side, I have to have someone drive me wherever I go. Back on the bright side, I have lots of time to make cards. So… it all works out!

The card I’m showing you today is for the Monday challenge over at ScrapZee. We’re to make a Valentine’s card using red, white, and one other color. Soooo… here’s what I came up with.

Outside:

Inside:

I just love this monster and these sentiments that’s in the January 2014 Monthly Card Kit from “Simon Says Stamps!”. This one is for my GD, age 12, who loves lime green. I’ve also got the pieces/parts made up for another GD, age 9, and two GS’s, age 4 and 2.

Time for me to go and work on my 2014 Calendar. Yeah, you might say I’m a tad late… but I just have to finish the last half of the year.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit!

I appreciate and real all comments.

Serene Trees- CAS

Hi Peeps! When I started making cards I was in to the Vintage or Shabby Chic look. Every so often my style changes, and right now I favor the Clean and Simple or CAS look. If you throw in Quick and Easy you can get a lot done.

I used the Leafy Tree embossing folder by Darice, and two sets of dies. The birds are from Memory Box. The hearts, I believe, are also from Memory Box. Sorry, I lost the packaging and don't remember for sure where I got the die. The sentiment is from Stampin Up! set called Well Scripted.

I love the simplicity of these cards and how quickly they went together. It’s also a great design when you need multiples of the same card.

So peeps, there you have it for today. I hope you have a great day… whatever you are doing!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit!

I appreciate and real all comments.

Circle Mania

Good Morning Peeps! Well, it’s the start of another loooovely week of temps in the teens and twenties. No, I don’t love these temps but as they say “It could be worse”. The cold temps, for me, is an opportunity to stay indoors and make cards. I so need to replenish some of the cards I keep on hand.

I’m starting out the week by trying Sketch #208 from Operation Write Home’s [OWH] blog, Stars & Stamps. I hardly ever use my circle punches for design elements, so this sketch lets me play around with circles… lots of circles.

Here’s the sketch I used. For lots of good ideas go to OWH’s blog, here, to see what the other participants made.

I love the look of red, white, and black together. The always make a crisp looking card and can be used for both guys and girls. The paper is a 6x6 pad by Teresa Collins called “Stationary Noted”. The stamps are from a clear stamp set by Simon Says Stamps! called “You”. I also used the 1 ½” and 2” scalloped circle punches by Fiskars.

Well, now I’ve got a craft table mess to clean up, so I have to go. I know… clean one mess up and then make another. Ha! Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit!

I read and appreciate every comment. Thank You!

Chalkboards and Banners

Howdy peeps! If you're wondering what chalkboards and banners have to do with each other, I'll tell you. Absolutely nothing... unless you are combining two challenges. And  I’m getting a last minute dive for the deadline for both. Nice Marlene, great way to start a new year. L

Last Wednesday the challenge on Operation Write Home's Midweek Throwdown was to make a card using the chalkboard technique. Now, I love how it looks, but have never been brave enough to try it. I Googled "Chalkboard Cards" and found lots of good samples, tutorials, videos, and Pinterest Boards. This technique was lots of fun and now I’m wondering why I was so scared!

Also on last Wednesday was a Banner Challenge on the ScrapZee online group. We were, of course, supposed to use a Banner on a card. So…. by combining both challenges I came up with this card. The background is a pretty “Valentine” red, but the photo has a nasty orange hue.

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit!

I appreciate and real all comments.

Supplies:

Technique Tuesday stamp set, Bright Idea

Hero Arts Stamp&Cut set, Fun Flags [one banner die and 3 banner clear stamps]

Authentique double sided paper, Smitten collection, Fusion & Written

VersaMark Watermark ink pad

Ranger  Sea Foam White embossing powder.

Quick and Easy cards

Hello peeps! I hope you’re all feeling better than I am. I’m having one of my wonky days where my hands are real shaky and I just feel blah! It’s definitely not a good day for making cards, but I made a couple anyway.

I followed the Sketch Challenge 207 over on OWH’s blog Stars& Stamps. I like the simplicity of this sketch and I need to use up some odds and ends of 6x6 papers pads. This seems like a good chance to do both!

I made both a masculine and feminine version. These went together real fast [a good thing], added a few pearl pen accents, then called these done.

Now I’m going to give my shaky hands a rest. Mainly because I'm tired of typing the wrong letters. Lol! Take care of yourselves peeps!

Thanks for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit!

I read and appreciate all comments.

Combinding Challenges

Good morning peeps! So far this year has been busier than bees! There are two challenges going on over at Operation Write Home [OWH]. There’s this week’s sketch challenge #206, and also the monthly Our Daily Bread Designs [OBDB] monthly challenge

I love the layers on the Sketch Challenge so I had to give it a try. The OBDB Challenge is to use stripes. For some reason I shy away from stripes so I really wanted to try this… combining both challenges into one card really challenged me. However, I had fun and I’m glad I challenged myself to leave my comfort zone.

Links to both challenges:

Sketch #206 - The link is here.

OBDB -  The link is here.

I made three cards. For the first two I played with fall colors and embossing folders, On one my stiped paper is on an angle, while the other has the stripes vertical. It always amazes me how one paper can look so different.

My third card has papers that, believe it or not, have a summer theme. I had to play around with the center circle shape and create a banner.

Thank You so much for stopping by, hope you enjoyed your visit!

I read all comments and appreciate all of them.

Supplies:

First two cards -  Authentique 6x6 paper pad, Collection: Fresh
Third card – Echo Park 6x6 paper pad, Reflections-Fall
Hexagon dies. Scalloped circle punches, baker’s twine.

Welcome 2014

Happy New Year peeps! Wow… where did this last year go?  I like to take New Year’s to reflect back on the last year to review my life in general and my card making. This past year I had some health issues that affected my balance, and that in turn sent my card making mojo into a nose dive.

Before getting into my Top 13 I want to say a huge “Thank You” to all of you who visit my blog and/or are followers. I want you to know how much I appreciate you and all the wonderful comments you have left me.

Operation Write Home [ OWH ] is having a Blog H0hop today to review our top 13 cards of 2013. I’m one of the participants, among many, and there will be a wealth of inspiration for everyone! Be sure to visit OWH’s blog, Stars & Stamps to hop around. The link is here.

I’m sharing my Top 13 cards as examples of what I did to overcome things like shaky hands, vision trouble, and no mojo. I’ve also included some ways I was able to learn and grow as a card maker during the times I wasn’t sick. You’re never too old to learn!

Jan 5^th here. Learning a new Fun Fold card.

 Mar 5^th here. Pushing myself to use papers I don’t think will play together nicely.

Apr 16^th here. I use sketches a lot!

Apr 16^th here. It is hard for me to match greens, so it challenges me.

Apr 21^st here. Pre-colored digital images help save the day from shaky hands.

May 12^th here. Revisit a technique I haven’t used in a while.

May 15^th here. Paula’s monthly Boot Camp series at OWH helped me grow.

May 31^st here. Die cut silhouettes help when my hands are too shaky for coloring.

July 4^th here. I get great ideas from Pinterest.

Sep 11^th here. Paper piecing can save the day. [I don’t color critters very well]

Sep 17^th  here. Take a coloring class.

Oct 5^th here. More paper piecing.

Dec 23^rd here. Another Pinterest idea.

Thank You peeps for stopping by… hope you enjoyed your visit! And…

Happy New Year!